Tales From Seal Beach: Just Make You Happy
by Xazz
Summary: It's Altair's birthday, he isn't happy about it. -oneshot-


Currently I'm taking fic requests over on my blog (myantiquehabibi over on Tumblr). This is one of them.

* * *

He just had a _bad_ feeling when Malik showed up at lunch. He pushed Cole aside and sat next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist, grinning. Altair gave him a leery look, "What are you so happy about?" he asked his boyfriend skeptically.

"That it's your birthday on Thursday," Malik said and Altair actually choked on the lunch he'd been trying to eat.

"What?"

"No way."

"Why didn't you tell us?" his friends all asked at once.

"Now you've done it," Altair growled at Malik.

"You realize we only have two days you plan a party, why didn't you tell us?" Mike asked him.

"Because I don't want one," Altair said grumpily. "I hate my birthday," he scowled. He did. He really did. It was always so empty. He always celebrated it alone, or with just his brother, and it amounted to, basically, him making them cupcakes. His parents sent him gifts from whatever part of the world they were in, but the last time either of them had been home for his birthday was when Desmond was a baby. Birthdays were hollow and empty and he _hated them_. Well, he hated his. He liked celebrating other people's birthdays. Desmond had had a big one this year with all his friends from preschool and Altair had made a big cake and food and had enlisted Mike and Sam to help him watch all the kids. They'd all crashed before dinner, including him and his friends. That had been fun.

But his birthday?

He was ganna just take a pass.

"Oh c'mon Altair, no need to be like that. It'll be great!" Sam said.

"No, really. I don't want a party," he said.

"Why not?" Mike asked, frowning.

"I don't want one okay?" and he was becoming a bit testier now. "I have stuff to do on Thursday anyway," he added.

"Not even a little one?" Mike asked.

"No," he snapped. "I want you to pretend like it's just a normal day," and then he went back to eating, ignoring the weight of Malik's arm around his waist.

"Okay," Malik said, "I have stuff to do Thursday too," he added and put his chin on Altair's shoulder. Altair looked at him out of the corner of his eye. Malik looked sorry he'd brought it up. Of anyone Malik knew that stupid shit Altair put up with with his parents and his… _issues_ about fucking everything. Including his stupid inferiority complex and his social anxiety when it came to asking people for anything. He just automatically expected he was going to be rejected. It made having a boyfriend who honestly wanted to spoil him sort of uncomfortable at times because he didn't deserve it.

He didn't deserve Malik.

Mike sighed, "Okay. You're such a spoiled sport Altair," he pouted at him.

"You know doe eyes don't work on my Mike, I have a four year old brother," Altair said casually, calming down now.

"Well, worth a try," and he stopped. "So what're we doing this weekend? Hobbit's going to come out. We should go see it!"

"Hell yeah," Cole said, nodding quickly.

"Eh," Altair shrugged, "I don't like Lord of the Rings," they all stared at him. "I'm in rudimentary English, you act like I've read them," he said.

"But the movies-

"Are long in the tooth and boring."

"Yeah but-

"Long-

"Frodo-

"Is an awful protagonist-

"Yeah okay he is but Aragorn-

"Has the redeeming quality of being attractive."

"Hey," Malik growled.

"Not as attractive as you though," Altair added and gave him a peck on the lips. Malik grinned into his neck, pleased. He was stupidly easy to please though.

"How do you hate those movies?" Sam asked.

"Because they're boring," Altair said.

"No they aren't."

"Yes they are."

"You're wrong."

"No I'm not."

Altair had _never_ been more happy to hear the bell ring then at the end of lunch since he was currently getting 'the spheal' about the movies and how Altair was 'so wrong' about disliking them and Sam couldn't believe he and Altair were actually friends. How could Sam be friends with someone who didn't like the Lord of the Rings movies? Altair _had_ to come watch them at Sam's house, he had the collector's special extended edition and _that_ would change Altair's mind. Or whatever.

He was glad when Malik dragged him to physics, and Mike towed Sam towards to their photo class.

—

It was Thursday, everyone had forgotten it was his birthday. That was good. He didn't want to make a thing about it. He just wanted it to be _normal_.

Malik was waiting for him at his car, leaning against the driver's side door, hands in his pockets, after SGA. "What are you doing here?" Altair asked, coming up to him.

"Waiting for you," Malik said and wrapped his arms around his waist, and tugged him close to kiss him. Altair melted against him, his arms curling around his neck and he let himself lean against the other boy.

The parking lot was empty so he didn't mind kissing Malik like this in public. Usually he got kinda weird about it. Minor PDA was fine, brief kisses or hand holding or touches were okay. Kissing like _this_ was not. He always felt like people were going to stare at them, because they were making out, because they were two guys. Altair didn't want to look anything too off normal. Not that he was ashamed of dating Malik, or trying to pretend he didn't like guys. It was just… it was complicated. Malik, as always, was understanding.

He leaned against Malik's chest when they came up for air, "This is for you," Malik handed him an envelope.

Altair gave him a look, "If you did anyth-

"Oh my god it's just a fucking card," Malik said sternly and Altair straightened to take the envelope. Malik kept his arms around his waist though as he opened the envelope.

As promised, it was a card, with a cute cartoon bear and fox on it, the bear was petting the fox. He opened the card, which had no generic greeting but on which Malik had written, 'No parties, just a day with me? Totally not wishing you happy birthday here either,' and he grinned helplessly to himself and looked at Malik who was also grinning. He kissed Malik again, still holding onto his card, "Yes," he said and rubbed their noses together, his hand cupping his face.

"Good," Malik said, claiming his mouth now. "Can I wish you happy birthday though?"

Altair licked his lips as he bit them, "Okay," he said after a moment, grinning playfully.

"Then happy birthday," Malik said with a smile kissing him again and again until it was sort of hard to breathe properly. "Now you're _all_ mine for the rest of the day."

"This is different then any other day?" Altair huffed.

"No little brother," he said.

"I have to go-

"No you don't, already did. Kadar's watching him for us."

"Okay," Altair breathed, wondering if it had been a good idea to put Malik on the _very_ short list of people who could pick his brother up from daycare. The list included himself, his parents, John Winchester (from that one time he'd been sick) and Malik. Though John was basically irrelevant despite being on the list.

"I told him to order Chinese and watch movies."

"He's at my house?"

"Mhm," Malik nodded. "Now c'mon," and he dragged Altair over to his car. Altair's car was a lot nicer then Malik's. But then, Altair's was also a guilt present and apology from his dad. Malik's was an old, beat up, wrangler that was older then both of them. He got into the passenger side as Malik got into the driver's house.

"So, what sort of torture are you going to inflict on me tonight?" Altair asked him and buckled his seat belt.

"The usual," Malik said and backed out of his parking space.

"If you take me to a party I'm breaking up with you," Altair said.

"The card said no parties!" Malik cried.

"Yeah, well, cards are liars," and he poked Malik with the corner of his card.

—

They ended up going up to L.A. Altair enjoyed not having to drive there since L.A. Was a nightmare to navigate, but Malik had lived close to the city his entire life, he knew some of the better ways to avoid the dense crowds and cars. He pulled into a pay parking lot and Altair was still trying to figure out where they were. He didn't know L.A. He knew Seal Beach and only came this north to pick his mom up from the airport.

"We aren't going star seeing are we?" Altair teased.

Malik laughed, "Please, I _do_ have some class," Malik said as he parked.

"Well that was news to me," Altair said and yelped when Malik grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. "What was I saying?" he asked when Malik let go.

"That I'm an amazing boyfriend," Malik said smugly and got out of the car. Altair followed Malik out of the parking lot, Malik grabbing his hand as they walked.

"So what are we doing? Where are we anyway?" and he looked around a bit as they walked.

"You'll see," and Malik squeezed his hand.

"You're up to something and it's going to piss me off, I just know it," Altair said.

"I would _never_ do that," Malik said, but he had a shit eating grin on his face.

"Uhg, remind me why I date you," and he made a play to pull his hand from Malik's.

"Because I'm amazing," Malik said and just squeezed his hand. Altair just whined but didn't say otherwise. "Oh, here," and he tugged Altair into a store that he had enough time to see was a surf shop. "My dad bought me my fish here."

"You already need another one?" Altair asked, Malik didn't answer him but pulled him to the wall of surf boards.

"What'you think?" he asked.

"They're nice," he said. He couldn't surf, Malik was trying to teach him, but it was slow going. Mainly he just borrowed Kadar's board and paddled out to the others when they went surfing sometimes, and someone was always on shore to watch Desmond if he was there. But he didn't actually have an opinion on surf boards. They were nice and some were prettier then others.

"Just nice?"

"I dunno what do you want me to say I don't surf," Altair huffed. Malik appraised him. "Okay, I don't surf _well_," he stressed with a huff. Malik had been trying to teach him on one of his old boards. He could stand up, but he usually fell off after a few seconds. He wasn't a fan of the big long board as it was heavy and he'd whacked himself with it more then once in the head just carrying it around.

"C'mon, what do you like?" Malik asked.

"Does it ma- no," he said, scowling at him.

"What?"

"No," Altair said tugging his hand out of Malik's. "No," he just said it again.

"Altair what are-

"You're not getting me one, so forget it," and he threw both his hands up and stalked towards the front of the shop.

Malik quickly caught up with him. "Hey, wait," Malik said grabbing his arm.

"No," and Altair yanked his arm away. "You _know_ how I feel about this sort of stuff," he said, irritated and annoyed and hurt Malik was doing exactly what he _knew_ Altair didn't like.

"I didn't say I was getting you one," Malik said, grabbing his wrist when he tried to leave again.

"Knowing you you will though," Altair said and swallowed.

Malik paused for a second, "Okay, maybe I was," he admitted. Altair huffed and looked away, "I didn't do it to make you upset," Malik said. "But I know you don't like superficial gifts or stuff like that," he pulled Altair closer.

"Or expensive things," he growled. He didn't. He hated it. His parents bought him expensive things and spent a lot of money on him when they wanted him to forgive them or make up for not being around. He didn't need or want gifts though. Of any sort. He always just wanted them to spend time with him. They never did that though, not for long at any rate. If someone apologized through giving him something he didn't forgive them, or trust them.

"I know," Malik said, working his thumb into the soft part of his wrist gently. "And I know you hate your birthday, but for me it's a big deal. And it's the first one I get to celebrate with you," Altair looked at him, feeling like a jerk now. Malik only wanted to make him happy, and do stuff with him that they both would like. Even if sometimes that thing Altair wasn't a fan of. Altair usually swallowed it though, because it was usually him just being stupid and having issues, which Malik _got_, but sometimes he had to just tough it out, because he wanted to make Malik happy too.

Altair bit his lips and looked down at their shoes, "You could have warned me," he said softly.

"Then I never would have gotten you in the door," Malik said. "If you want, you can help me pay for it," he added.

Altair looked up at him from under his brows, "Okay," he said after a few seconds. Now it wasn't just Malik buying him a few hundred dollar thing, he could live with that. Didn't mean he wouldn't fight it even if he wanted it, because that was just how he was and he couldn't just accept people helping him that easily.

"Good," Malik kissed him once on the lips and then pulled him back over to the surfboards. "Now what do you think?"

"I don't want a long board," Altair said, threading his fingers through Malik's.

"Okay," and Malik tugged him down the line to some shorter boards. "You aren't up for short boards yet though, how about one like that?" and he pointed to one that had the shape of a short board, bullet shaped, but longer and fatter. "Hybrid, good handling and stability."

At that point one of the workers came over, seeing that whatever had been going on was done and they actually were going to get a board. "Can I help you two?"

Malik turned to him, "Yeah my boyfriend needs a board, newbie board. I was thinking a hybrid with high rails and unglassed fins."

"Mmm, you surf?" he asked Malik.

"Yeah, my dad came here a few months ago and bought me a fish, very excellent board," he gave the man an 'ok' sign.

"Great, well since you're really into it I'll skip the fun board talk," and Malik chuckled.

"God, fucking fun board," he muttered, it sort of just went over Altair's head. "So hybrid?" he continued.

"He surf at all?"

"I'm learning," Altair piped in, he should be able to speak for himself sometimes damnit.

"He's using an old long board of mine," Malik added.

The man nodded, "All right, well," he went up and patted the top deck of the board they'd been looking at, "Our hybrids are as good as you can find, how often do you surf?"

"I go just about every day," Malik said, "he comes when I can drag him down to the beach," the man grinned.

"So then I'd go for the fiberglass, lighter then the foam, and since I assume you use fiberglass," he nodded at Malik, "if you wanted to switch boards ever you wouldn't have to get used to an Epoxy one. I know some guys who swear by those boards, traditionalists can't stand 'em, drag and performance and such," he shrugged a little. "I'd go with this one personally if it's his first board," he tapped the hybrid next to that one. "Medium rails, bit high on the rocker on the nose so it doesn't eat wave, and an easy squash tail. Fins are unglassed so you can switch 'em out as you want," he patted the board.

"What'd you think?" Malik asked him.

"I dunno, you're the surfer here," Altair said.

"I think yes," Malik said, "you do returns right?"

"Totally," the clerk said. "Getting the right board is important, no need to buy the wrong one."

"Okay, great," Malik grinned widely. "I'll put a down on it today," Altair opened his mouth to protest, "You can pay the next installment if you like it," he added to Altair who nodded.

"Wonderful, right this way," the clerk showed them to the counter, Altair looked at his new surfboard as Malik pulled him over to the counter.


End file.
